TAKE A HIKE

This trail is no dawdle but you’ll be rewarded with wildflowers, forested cliffs, waterfalls and giant cycads.

Hike along cliff edges and down into a forested gorge on the Dwarf’s Dawdle Trail in uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve near Howick.

DWARF’S DAWDLE, UMNGENI VALLEY NATURE RESERVE

Just 25 km north of Pietermaritzburg, a kilometre outside Howick, is one of KwaZulu-Natal’s little-known hiking gems: the uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve. uMngeni is home to the conservation organisation WESSA’s flagship environmental education centre, and many rock climbers know about its outstanding climbing routes that are graded and maintained by the Mountain Club of South Africa. Very few people, however, seem to know that there are also six excellent day trails for visitors. It’s difficult to choose which to walk, but my hiking party finally settles on the 4 km Dwarf’s Dawdle. For a number of reasons: We want an interesting and challenging route, but not too challenging or too long. We’re also concerned about the possibility of it being a hot and humid day, and the forest shade and mossy waterfalls along the route sound very appealing. And finally, while the trail will take us down into the valley, it won’t take us all the way down, so we wouldn’t have a steep hike out. You can do the loop in either direction, starting at the Ndulo car park or at the view site near the border of the reserve. We decide to start at the view site and do the section along the top of the sandstone cliffs while the day is still cool, saving the forested part for the heat that will come later. The view site is wonderful. Sit on a rock in the shade of a giant fig tree and look out through the “gates” of the valley cliffs, across a Serengeti-like savannah towards the Albert Falls Dam. The first part of the walk skirts the clifftops, through a section of Midlands Mistbelt Grassland speckled with wildflowers. It takes us a little longer than intended because we keep stopping to admire and photograph the flowers, the forested cliffs and little waterfalls on the opposite side of the valley and the riverine and subtropical thickets with patches of thornveld on the valley floor below. The geology and altitudinal variation in the reserve is fascinating and provides for a wide variety of vegetation and habitats.

At the Ndulo car park, we go down off the plateau, following a path tucked into the forest. The path winds along the base of cliffs that have been eroded from the Karoo Supergroup, thought to have been formed as long as 300 million years ago. We go past three waterfalls in quick succession (after about 500 m, 800 m and a kilometre) and we ogle strangler figs and massive Natal giant cycads ( Encephalartos natalensis). Wooden walkways and ladders cross streams and muddy patches. We clamber over gnarly roots and wander past mossand fern-clad rock faces. Higher up the cliffs, aloes stick their spikey little arms out towards the sunshine. The birding along the route is outstanding, with more than 250 species recorded in the reserve. On one of the cliffs frequented by rock climbers is a small sign that states: “These rock climbs are closed from 1 July until 30 September to accommodate nesting lanner falcons.” You also need to keep an eye out for holes in the path, made by porcupine, black-backed jackal or aardvark. There are more than 50 mammal species in the reserve. The hike ends with a short but steep climb up a mossy wooden ladder, followed by an amble to a lovely picnic site near the view site where we started earlier. This is where we eat our lunch, once again looking out over the beguiling landscape, already planning our next hike. Distance: Dwarf’s Dawdle is a circular route of about 4 km. Don’t be deceived by the relatively short distance: The terrain is up and down and there are lots of things to look at along the way. Set aside at least three hours. Where? uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve is less than a kilometre north of Howick via Karkloof Road. Opening times: Daily from 7.30 am to 6 pm. Entrance fee/conservation levy: R30 per adult; R15 per child. Map? Available at reception. Water? There is water at the Ndulo car park, but it’s best to bring enough of your own. Other trails in the reserve: There are five other day trails of varying distance and difficulty: Shelter Falls (± 3 km), Inkonka (± 5 km), Rietspruit (± 5 km), Black Eagle (± 7 km) and Grasslands (± 8 km). More info: 033 330 3941, umngenivalley.co.za

SPOILT FOR CHOICE (opposite page). The grasslands above the sandstone cliffs provide wonderful views of the variety of ecosystems in the uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve. From there you can watch the uMngeni River down in the valley as it winds its way...

FAIRY LAND. Lanner falcon nest in these massive cliffs that also provide excellent rock climbing routes (above left). Once you drop off from the grasslands onto the lower loop of Dwarf’s Dawdle at the base of the sandstone cliffs, the forest and the...